Truck-transom.



No. 632,425. Patented Sept. 5, |899. J. PLAYER.

TRUCK TRANSOM.

(Application led July 2, 1898 (No Model.)

1H: norms PETERS no., PNoTauTHO.. wAsmNumm Dv c.

UNiTnn STATES PATENT @Erica JOHN PLAYER, OF TOPEKA, KANSAS.

TRUCK-TRANSOM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 632,425, dated Septern'loeil Y5, 1899.

Application tiled July 2,1898. Serial No. 685,010. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, JOHN PLAYER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Topeka, in the county of Shawnee and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Truck-Transoms, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of transoms that are used in combination with trucks of railway-cars, and particularly that class of transoms which are formed of cast-steel and made hollow to receive the body-bolster.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, economical, and efficient truck-transoms for railway-cars g and the invention consists in the features, combinations, and details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lisa side elevation of a truck-transom constructed in accordance with my improvements, showing one end of the transom as unprovided with a spring-seat; Fig. 2, a plan view of the same, shown partly in section, and taken on the irregular line 2 of Fig. l; Fig. 3, a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrow.

In the art to which this invention relates it is well known that truck-transoms when made of cast-steel or malleable iron are liable to disruption, cracking, and warping, which is due to the sudden cooling and contraction of the material after casting.

Further and serious objections to this class of transoms are, first, that the article is eX- tremely heavy and as a consequence very difiicult to manipulate for the purpose of operating on it or inserting it in position, and, secondly, on account of its heavy weight is extremely awkward to store or ship.

My invention, therefore, is intended primarily to overcome the above-named objections and to'provide what may be termed a knockdown constructionthat is, a trucktransom formed in several parts, which are so constructed and arranged that they may be readily fitted together without the use of bolts or nuts and by the use of interlocking mechanisms.

ln constructing a truck-transom in accordance with my improvement, two independent transom sides A and A are provided and arched in the proper manner. These transom sides are provided with outwardly-extending ribs or anges ct, arranged longitu dinally, and c', vertically-disposed, between which the web is cut out so as to form open ings a2, which provides for extremelightness, or, in other words, the distribution of a minimum amount of metal to withstand the maXimum strains. In order to lock or secure these transom sides together and at the same time provide spring-seats, two spring-seats B are provided, having outwardly extending T- shaped lugs b, arranged to be inserted through the T-shaped opening a3, arranged at or near each end and on the lower portion of the transom sides. From an inspection of Figs. l and 2 it will be seen that the T-head of the lugs passes through the large portion of the opening as of the transom sides, so that the neck portion of the lugs drops down in the narrow portion of the openingl and efficiently locks the parts together. These spring-seats are provided with upwardlyfextending ribs b', which form recesses or pockets, as it were, in which springs of any desired form or shape may be inserted, as may be required.

As above stated, the transom slides are provided with vertical ribs a', one of which is arranged at or near the center. At this point a center brace C is arranged, provided with inturned ends c, which clasp the lower extending iiange, and is bifurcated to span the vertical rib or flange, and thus serve as a tie to secure the transom sides together at or near their central portion. This brace is provided at or near its longitudinal and transverse center with a perforation c, through which the usual bolster-pin may be passed.

In order to provide for attachment of the transom to the usual arch-bars, (not shown,) the ends of each transom side are provided with four lugs d, which form square grooves (1,', adapted to receive the usual arch-bars, and the transom-bars at or near this point `are perforated, as at d2, through which col- IOO gether, they also have to sustain the weight of the bolsterand whatever load is placed thereon, so that it is desirable to support such spring-seats by something other than the T- shaped lug. In order to accomplish this result, the transom side bars are provided at or near each lower end thereof and underneath the T-shaped openings therein with inwardly-projecting shoulders G (shown particularly in the cross-section views of theV drawings) and upon which the lateral edges of the spring-seats rest. By this arrangement it will be seen that the spring-seats are supported independently of their lugs, so that the lugs merely act to assist in Itying the transom sides together.

The advantages incident to a truck-transom constructed in accordance with my improvements are that the parts are economical to manufacture, simple to understand and assemble, provide for the efficient distribution of the minimum amount of metal, and by making interchangeable spring-seats of different heights different constructions are provided for and adapted for combination with various styles of trucks and bolsters. Further, economical construction is provided for in that the making of cores is dispensed with.

I claiml. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of two independent transom side bars, a spring-seat at or near each end v and removably engaged with the transom side bars, and projections on one set of such parts engaging the other parts to lock such parts together and hold them in position for use, substantially as described.

2. In a truck-transom for railway-cars, the combination of two independent transom side bars having perforations at or near each end, a spring-seat at or near each end provided with lugs or projections adapted to engage with the perforations in the transom sides and lock the parts together, substantially as described.

3. In a truck-transom for railway-cars, the combination of two independent transom side bars having T-shaped perforations at or near each end and at the lower portion thereof, and a spring-seat at or near each end, and provided with T-shaped lugs or projections engaging with the perforations in the transom sides to lock the parts together, substantially as described.

4. In a truck-transom for railway-cars, the combination of twoindependent transom side bars provided with T-shaped perforations at or near each end and the lower portion thereof, and a spring-seat arranged at or near each end provided with T-shaped projecting lugs engaging with the perforations in the transom side to lock the parts together and with upwardly-extending ribs or flanges b' for the purpose of strengthening the seat and form a recess for springs, substantially as described.

5. In a truck-transom for railway-cars, the combination of two independent transom side bars provided with horizontal projecting ribs, a spring-seat at or near each end and removably engaged with the transom side bars locking such parts together, and a center brace .provided with inturned ends engaged with the ribs on the two side bars and assisting in locking them together, substantially as described.

6. In a truck-transom for railway-cars, the combination of two independent transom side bars provided with T-shaped perforations at or near each end and arranged in the lower part thereof, a spring-seat provided with T- shaped projecting lugs engaging the perforations in the side bars and arranged at each end of the side bars to lock the same together, four projecting lugs on each transom-bar at or near each end thereof and forming recesses for the reception of the usual arch-bars, substantially as described.

7 In a truck-transom for railway-cars, the combination of two independent transom side bars provided with T-shaped perforations at or near each end and arranged in the lower part thereof, a spring-seat provided with T- shaped projecting lugs engaging the perforations in the side .bars and arranged at each end of the side bars to lock the same together,

four projecting lugs on each side bar at or near each end thereof forming recesses for the reception of the usual arch-bars, and a center brace perforated at its center portion and provided with inturned lugs removably engaging the transom sides to assist in locking the parts together, substantially as described.

8. In a truck-transom for railway-cars, the combination of twoindependent transom side bars provided with T-shaped openings at or near each end and in the lower part thereof and inwardly-proj ectin g shoulders or ribs arranged adjacent to the T-shaped perforations, and a spring-seat at or near each end provided with lugs engaging with the perforations in the transom' side bars the lateral edges of the spring-seats resting on the inwardly-projecting shoulders or ribs of the transom sides, substantially as described.

JOHN PLAYER.

IOO 

